Leading - Mcleadership and Inspiring a Shared Vision

“You deserve a break today” is ranked by Advertising Age as the greatest jingle of all time. You may be able to sing the words as you read this, even though the jingle hasn’t been used for years.
This jingle was born of countless interviews of
“housewives” across America. (In 1971 that’s what they were called)
In these interviews it became clear that these women worked hard in their daily routines. They planned meals, and sometimes ran out of menu ideas, but they always wanted to please their families.
The jingle built on this desire to provide for the family, but also connected to the diligent work performed and the need for the occasional break from these tireless efforts.

What you do, your vision, is much more than selling hamburgers. However, we can learn from the success of McDonald’s now legendary jingle. They viewed their desired outcome from the eyes of their customers and then positioned their product to address a personal need.

In the training world we use the term WIIFM - “What’s In It For Me?” When addressing learners we always strive to make clear what value lies in learning the topic for the participant. The same theory was leveraged by McDonald’s and can be applied in your efforts to Inspire A Shared Vision.

If you want people to “buy” your ideas remember this—people buy for their own reasons, not for yours.

Find out what motivates your team members. See things from their point of view. Ask questions before presenting your plan. Then present your plan in a way that highlights the benefits for the people that are involved. Never discuss your own gain, most won’t care. Draw the picture from their perspective. They will work harder to help you achieve success if they see their own success through yours.

Writing Your “Jingle”

Work this week to see your vision through the eyes of those that will help you achieve it. Practice positioning your vision in terms of their success rather than your own.